Reichsverband der Deutschen Luftfahrtindustrien Herbst 1938 (original printed)

The book ‘Reichsverband der Deutschen Luftfahrtindustrien Herbst 1938’ (or Reichsverband der Deutschen Luftfahrtindustrie: Herbst 1938) is a rare and historic German publication, published in Berlin by Erich Zander in the autumn of 1938.

General overview

• Type: Reference work and illustrated catalogue.
• Language: German.
• Format: Large format (approximately 180–181 pages), original cloth binding.
• Illustrations:
• Numerous photographs and technical diagrams.
• 17 artistic plates (watercolours by H. Klumbies and pastels by F. Wiemer).
• Drawings and sketches of aircraft, engines and equipment of the period.

The book offers a comprehensive overview of the German aviation industry in 1938, structured as follows:

1. Company profiles:
• Each German aircraft manufacturer (e.g. Messerschmitt, Heinkel, Focke-Wulf, Junkers, Blohm & Voss, etc.) has a dedicated section of 3 to 5 pages.
• A description of their history, specialisations, and contributions to the industry.
2. Products and innovations:
• Details of the aircraft, engines, and technologies developed by each company.
• Technical specifications and photographs of the aircraft (e.g. BV 141, Me 109, Ju 87, etc.).
• Highlighting advances in aerodynamics, armament and mass production.
3. Industrial and political context:
• Organisation of the Reichsverband der Deutschen Luftfahrt-Industrie (RDLI), the association bringing together industry players under the Third Reich.
• The industry’s role in Germany’s military preparations (rearmament, collaboration with the Luftwaffe).
• Production statistics and industrial capacity (factories, subcontractors, metals, etc.).
4. Artistic illustrations:
• The watercolours and pastels by Klumbies and Wiemer depict aircraft in flight, factories, and symbolic scenes from German aviation.
• Propaganda-style (glorification of industrial and technological power).

• A unique document on the golden age of German aviation prior to the Second World War.
• Evidence of the collaboration between the Nazi state and industry to develop a modern air fleet.
• A primary source for historians of aviation, technology or the economy of the Third Reich.

• First edition: Printed by Erich Zander (Berlin) or Wilhelm Limpert for certain versions (e.g. the Belgrade exhibition catalogue).
• Rarity: A book highly sought-after by collectors (often commanding high prices, > €500).

190 pages – in German